Arts

Censor Me Silly: “Inappropriate” art showcase at El Chante

Been feeling controversial lately? Maybe even censoring yourself? Do you have a need to break free of the rusty confinement that's holding you hostage in the mundane? It's understandable—but not permanent. Just ask Tera Muskrat or Nacho Jaramillo, the two artists who are showcasing their frowned-upon and censored artwork at El Chante (804 Park SW) on Saturday, July 27.

These two artists have felt the sting of galleries and town halls turning their work away because it was deemed “inappropriate.” However the point of art is to expose the inappropriate and political. For viewers, it expresses a previously unseen vision of the world.

But instead of faltering under the mighty thumb of “the man,” Jaramillo and Muskrat are exhibiting works new and old to showcase their accomplishments and push the boundaries of what is considered art and who makes that decision. These artists' work is described as “expressions of the human body, daily life, New Mexican women, comadres and rucas assisting their comadre on her journey to Chimayo or a night out at the Saints and Sinners bar to the faces of raza, Chicanos, Matachines and compadres deep in emotion where their eyes speak of life experiences.”

New Mexico Calendar Girls

Jaramillo's Los Ojos Hablan exhibition showcases multiple iterations of his contemporary eye, from the use of simplistic brush strokes to 3D panels and “androgynous characters that consume you with their eyes.” And Muskrat's New Mexico Calendar Girls exhibition takes the traditional female form of yesteryear and places them within a contemporary setting to show the authentic beauty and multi-faceted integrity that lies within the natural New Mexican woman.

The opening reception starts at 6 p.m. and ends around 8:30 p.m. So, if you're in the mood to see some artwork that'll make you think, make you question and ultimately make you proud of this beautiful, crazy state we live in, make sure you get there on time. Oh, and there's gonna be “food, music y mas.” Can't beat that. The show runs through August 11.